How to design a guest experience for a seasonal hotel

Designing a guest experience for a seasonal hotel on the Adriatic Riviera means focusing on your property's distinct seasonal appeal and meticulously mapping every interaction from initial interest to post-departure. Owners, general managers, and heads of department can enhance guest satisfaction and loyalty by understanding and refining these moments. A seasonal hotel has a limited window to make a lasting impression, so every touchpoint must be carefully considered and executed.

Understand Your Hotel's Unique Appeal

Before you can design an experience, you must clearly define what makes your seasonal hotel special. What are its unique characteristics? Is it the direct beach access, the regional cuisine, the family-friendly atmosphere, or perhaps a serene adults-only retreat? Consider the natural beauty of the Adriatic Riviera, the local culture, and any specific events or activities available only during your operating season. Your guest experience should highlight these elements, making them central to the guest's perception of your hotel. For instance, if your hotel is known for its culinary offerings, ensure this is communicated effectively before booking, reinforced during the stay, and remembered afterwards through thoughtful touches.

Map the Seven Moments of the Guest Stay

A comprehensive approach to guest experience considers the entire guest's time with the hotel, including before and after their stay on your property. This involves mapping the seven moments of the guest stay to pinpoint every opportunity for interaction and influence:

• Before booking: How do potential guests discover your hotel? What information do they find? Is it compelling?
• The booking: Is the booking process straightforward and reassuring? Do guests feel confident in their choice?
• Before arrival: What pre-arrival communication do guests receive? Does it build anticipation and provide useful information?
• Arrival: Is the welcome warm, efficient, and reflective of your hotel’s character? Is the check-in process smooth?
• The stay: Are all services and facilities meeting expectations? Are staff attentive and helpful? Are potential issues addressed proactively?
• Departure: Is the check-out process quick and pleasant? Do guests leave with a positive final impression?
• After departure: What follow-up communication occurs? Is there an opportunity for feedback or future bookings?

For a seasonal hotel, each of these moments carries more weight. You have a limited time to build loyalty for a return visit next season, so making each interaction count is essential.

Define Service Standards for Each Touchpoint

Once you have mapped the guest's path, you need to define specific service standards for every guest touchpoint. These standards should be clear, measurable, and aligned with your hotel's overall brand and unique appeal. For example, if your hotel prides itself on personalised service, a standard might be for front desk staff to greet returning guests by name or for restaurant staff to remember dietary preferences. These standards ensure consistency and quality across all interactions. They provide staff with clear guidelines on how to deliver the desired experience, from answering a phone call to cleaning a room. This level of detail ensures that the guest experience is not left to chance but is a deliberate outcome of well-defined processes.

Involve All Departments

Creating a unified and memorable guest experience requires the involvement of every department. The guest experience is not solely the responsibility of the front office or guest relations. Housekeeping, food and beverage, maintenance, and even back-office staff all contribute. Hold regular meetings to discuss the guest's path and specific service standards. Encourage inter-departmental communication and collaboration. For example, if the reservations team notes a guest's special occasion, this information should be relayed to the restaurant and housekeeping to allow for a coordinated, thoughtful gesture. Training is critical here, ensuring everyone understands their role in delivering the overall experience. A seasonal operation means staff may be new each year, making consistent training even more important.

Gather and Use Guest Feedback

The guest experience is not static; it requires continuous refinement. Gather feedback through various channels: direct conversations, comment cards, online reviews, and post-stay surveys. Analyse this feedback carefully to identify areas of success and opportunities for improvement. For a seasonal hotel, this process is particularly important between seasons. Use the off-season to review all feedback, make necessary adjustments to your standards and procedures, and conduct training based on these insights. This iterative process allows you to refine and improve the experience year after year, building a stronger reputation and fostering greater loyalty among your guests. Each season brings a chance to learn and adapt, making your hotel better for the next.

To design a comprehensive guest experience for your seasonal hotel, DolceVita Hospitality offers Experience Design. This service designs the guest experience across the seven moments of the stay and makes it operational through standards, procedures, and training. It starts with a free discovery session. Components include Guest Path Design from €2,500, Standards Design (standard operating procedures in Italian and English) at €290 per SOP, and on-site training from €275 per person. Prices are starting points and depend on the hotel.

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